Stop Pretending & Start Living Again
by Halawen
Summary: Clare is 23 and married to Eli, they have a young daughter & a son on the way the only thing standing in the way of the bliss is Eli. Paige is married to Jay and working as a hospital administrator, when Clare comes in battered and fearing for her unborn child Paige is determined to help her. Can Dylan, Tris, Owen, Dallas, Jay, Paige and Alex help Clare before it's too late? 2shot
1. Chapter 1

**So this was supposed to be a one shot but it will now be a two shot.**

**Legal: I do not own DeGrassi.**

**TRIGGER WARNING! This fic deals with domestic abuse please read with caution.**

**Important stuff to know:**

**This is a future fic, Clare is 23 and Eli 24**

**Clare never dated Drew and was never pregnant in high school**

**Adam did not die and lives in L.A.**

**Jay never dated Manny and is now married to Paige**

**That should do it the rest is explained in the fic**

**Enjoy!**

**Ch. 1 Stop Pretending & Start Living Again**

**(PAIGE)**

"Please, my baby make sure my baby's okay."

I'd worked in the hospital as an administrator for almost eight years now and by now the bustling and urgency in the emergency room hardly fazed me. I was used to people coming in with gunshot wounds, stab wounds, after car accidents, in labor and a hundred other reasons and in different states of dire need. It always affects you to see someone in distress, particularly children and pregnant woman, but I hardly paid attention any longer and let my medical staff do their job and I'd do mine. I admit there were some cases that still grabbed my attention, for instance when a young man came in with a steel bar through his head because he was skate boarding in a construction site. And of course any VIP patients or patients that might catch the attention of the press I was alerted to because part of my job was controlling the press.

However the pleading voice asking about the welfare of her baby was none of these, and yet I stopped looking over inventory budget reports because there was something familiar in her voice. I looked at the woman on the gurney being attended to by Dr. Temple and the EMTs, her face was swollen and bruised, she had a bad scrape on her arm and she was quite pregnant. Her light brown hair was cut fairly short but framed her face giving her a classic look. Her frightened eyes filled with pain and fear are a bright almost translucent blue and they too seem so familiar, they're almost haunting and I know I've seen them somewhere before but I can't place them or this woman.

"Twenty-three year old female seven months pregnant, her husband called 911 and said she was mugged walking home from the store. She's got multiple abrasions and difficulty breathing, we had trouble establishing a fetal heartbeat," one of the EMTs tells Dr. Temple.

"My baby is he okay? Please tell me he's okay," the woman begs. I study her face trying desperately to place her.

"We're going to have a look at your baby right now, what's your name?" Dr. Temple asks her.

"Clare, Clare Edwards-Goldsworthy," she answers.

My heart rate suddenly increases, Edwards as in Darcy? Darcy did have a little sister I remember her now, her name was Clare but we all called her Baby Edwards, and she had bright almost translucent blue eyes. It must be her, Goldsworthy must be her husband's last name. Dr. Temple orders her up to maternity and I watch them rush her to the elevator. She didn't look well and I fear for the life of her unborn son, I have to sit down and take a breath. There's something else that's bothering me as well, I've seen a lot of mugging victims come into the hospital and Clare's injuries just didn't look like a victim of mugging, her injuries were more consistent with a victim of domestic abuse.

I haven't thought about Darcy in years and last I heard she was still in Africa, honestly I never really paid much attention to Clare and only saw her a few times but Spinner and Peter were fond of her. I want to know more and find out what really happened but right now I have a job to do and a meeting to prepare for, besides she's in the hands of some of the best doctors in Toronto. I take a deep breath telling myself I can see Clare before I leave and get back to work. I finish looking at the inventory budget report and am about to go up to my office when a man comes in wearing dark jeans and a grey t-shirt, it matches his dark hair and he has these eerily vibrant green eyes.

"I'm Eli Goldsworthy my pregnant wife was brought in a while ago, Clare Edwards-Goldsworthy," he says.

"_So this is the husband, he doesn't look very menacing but you can never tell, he could be a monster when he's angry or drunk," _I think to myself as I look him over.

"Your wife is in surgery Mr. Goldsworthy she had some internal bleeding. It was minor but they are concerned about the baby, if you take the elevator to the third floor they'll show you to the waiting room," Abby our reception nurse tells him.

Since I have to go up to my office I follow him to the elevator, he presses 3 I press 7 and the elevator starts going. I want to say something to him but what am I supposed to say? _"So you married Clare Edwards? I hated her sister and met her a few times maybe ten years ago." "I really don't know Clare at all but I think you beat her." _No none of that sound right or will likely get me anywhere. I can however access hospital records here and see what I can find on them from my personal computer at home. Eli gets off on the third floor and I ride up to my office, I ask Gloria to alert me to Clare's progress and get to work. I get alerted when Clare's out of surgery but they're keeping her sedated to heal from the surgery and reduce the stress on her. She's in the maternity ward because she's pregnant and they need to monitor the baby, they think the baby's okay but they'll keep Clare in the hospital for a few days to be sure she and the baby are alright.

Just before I go I check Clare's status and medical chart, her condition is listed as good but there are notes to check her vitals every half hour and she has a fetal monitor on. She also has two fractured ribs, one broken rib, a torn liver which is why she was bleeding internally and of course many bruises and a few scratches. There are photographs of many of her bruises and they simply don't look like injuries from a mugging unless she was beaten by a group of thugs with 2 x 4s. Even thugs won't usually go after a pregnant woman, steal her purse maybe but you'd have to have no heart at all to beat a pregnant woman.

I send my secretary to the gift shop for a bouquet of flowers and when she returns with them I go down to Clare's room. She's sleeping and my heart breaks at her bruised face, Eli is nowhere to be seen but that's not so surprising. I set the flowers on the table tell Abby to call me on my cell if Clare's condition changes and then I leave for home. Jay isn't home yet but I always make it home before him, at least when I leave the hospital on time. I go into my home office turning on my laptop and do an internet search for Clare and Eli. First I find their wedding announcement in the Toronto Sun and another in the New York Sun. They were married when she was twenty years old and still attending Columbia. She was a journalism major and Eli went to NYU film school. I find out she's an independent journalist and I find several of her articles online, she seems to be fairly successful and everything I read of hers is really engaging and well written. Eli is a fledging writer, producer, director and when he didn't have much success in New York they moved back to Toronto. He had mild critical success with his last film but not much commercial success; I find that he has another project in the works; I can't find anything else on it so I log into my hospital account and look up Clare's medical records. I hear Jay come home but I'm engrossed in what I'm doing and don't go out to greet him. I'm looking at Clare's medical records when Jay comes in and starts kissing my neck but I'm too busy going over her medical records to react.

"Hey husband kissing your neck some acknowledgement here," Jay whines.

"Sorry I'm just caught up with this and not in the mood right now," I apologize without taking eyes off my computer screen.

"Alex is coming over should I cancel tonight?" Jay questions.

Alex Nunez dated both me and Jay at different times, we all lost touch and then Jay and I started dating when I moved back to Toronto after business school. I'd been hired as an administrative assistant at Toronto Western and saw Jay when he came in after an injury on the job. He was still working at Tony's then but he owns a garage now. Jay and I started dating and four years ago we were married, I was moved up in the hospital administration and Jay's garage got popular fast, we were really busy and barely seeing each other. Then Alex brought her car to Jay to get fixed, despite the fact that she had long ago discovered she was a lesbian the two had remained good friends. She and I had been hot in high school and we'd even remained friends. Jay invited her to dinner and we caught up, she started hanging out at our apartment a lot and then one night she kissed me. We didn't stop and Jay was enjoying watching now Alex is our lover. She comes over once a twice a week to stay the night and well let's just say none of us are stressed in the morning.

"No I need it tonight more than ever," I tell him after viewing Clare's medical records.

"What's up?" Jay asks as I close my laptop and stand up.

"Do you remember Clare or Darcy Edwards at all?" I question.

"Yeah of course I remember Darcy she dated Spin and Clare's her little sister right?"

"Yeah we called her Baby Edwards I hadn't seen her since she was twelve or thirteen but she was at the hospital today. She was beaten real bad, she said she got mugged but I think it was domestic abuse. It's not as though I've never seen victims of domestic abuse before they come into the hospital all the time but I know her, sort of. She's seven months pregnant Jay I'm just worried and can't get her off my mind," I tell him.

"Are she and the baby okay?" Jay queries and I hear the worry in his tone.

"She'll live and they think the baby's okay but they're keeping her a couple of days to be sure. I told them to call me if her condition changes," I reply.

"Then know that they'll call you and you can go in if something is wrong but you need to relax. Why don't you change into something more comfortable and I'll go pour you a glass of wine," Jay suggests giving me a tender kiss.

"That sounds good, I love you," I smile giving my husband another kiss.

"I love you too, you sure you're up for tonight?"

In response I simply kiss him again.

**(CLARE)**

Waking up to the sound of constant beeping I remember I'm in a hospital before I even open my eyes. It seems to be very early morning; the sun is just coming in my window. My first thought is Julian, my unborn son, I put my hand on my stomach and I don't feel anything. I begin to panic that the beating I took was too much, as I panic my heart rate goes up and it brings a doctor and a nurse rushing in.

"Good morning Clare I'm Dr. Nichols how are you feeling?" The male doctor asks.

"Is my baby okay?" I question ignoring his question about me.

"Yes he's alright but we are going to keep you in here for a couple of days just to be safe. We're monitoring both you and your child, you had some internal bleeding from a tear on your liver, it was small and we stopped it without too much trauma to you or your baby. An injury like that comes from severe trauma but according to the EMTs you were mugged," Dr. Nichols tells me while the nurse looks at my monitors and chart.

My eyes fill with tears as I remember yesterday afternoon and what really brought me to the hospital. I look away closing my eyes but nod my head.

"Yes I was mugged, by some teenagers, they were high and wanted drug money, that's what happened," I assert to the doctor.

"Okay well the police will come by to get a statement when you feel up to it," Dr. Nichols tells me.

"I didn't see their faces there won't be much to tell the cops," I reply.

"Quinn why don't you get some breakfast for Clare and I'll be back in a couple of hours to check on you," Dr. Nichols says and the nurse nods.

They both leave the room and I run my hand over my stomach, my only thought is that I'm grateful Julian's okay. Nurse Quinn comes back with a tray of breakfast and I move the bed up so I can eat. None of it looks very appetizing but I eat the fruit cup and a little oatmeal, I push the tray away after drinking the juice and a woman comes in the room. She has long honey blonde hair, she looks somewhat familiar but I can't place her. She's wearing a suit and I don't think she's a doctor yet I know I've seen her before.

"Hi Clare, do you remember me?" She asks.

"You look sort of familiar," I reply still trying to place her.

"I'm Paige, I went to DeGrassi with your sister," she tells me.

"I do remember you now, we met a couple of times but you didn't come here just to visit me," I comment.

"Actually I work here as an administrator, I saw you come in yesterday. I heard your baby is going to be okay, they still want to keep an eye on you to be safe. Clare I know what you told the doctors but your injuries just a…"

"I was mugged by teenagers who wanted drug money, that's what happened," I assert again.

"Clare you can talk to me, we can help you. I looked at your medical records, in the last year you've been to various hospitals eight times, most of them after you became pregnant a…"

"The pregnancy has been difficult; I fainted a lot and sometimes got hurt. I fell down the stairs once and slipped getting out of the shower," I tell her biting back the tears that have flooded my eyes.

"And yesterday you were mugged by high teenagers? That's a lot of bad luck for one person," she says and I look away as the tears begin to pour out. "Clare I get that you're scared and ashamed but think about your baby," Paige urges but I just bite my lip and cry. Paige takes my hand and squeezes it. "If you want to talk, about anything, just tell the duty nurse to call me."

I hear Paige leave and I wipe the tears away, I wasn't mugged, there were no teenagers, Eli did this. My own husband beat me and put me in the hospital and it's not the first time.

"Mommy!"

I look over to see our 20 month old daughter struggling in Eli's arms to get to me.

"Vada you have to be gentle mommy was hurt yesterday," Eli tells her setting her on the side of the bed so she can hug me.

"Kiss better," Vada says kissing one of the bruises on my face.

"Thank you Sweetie, I love you," I say to her and look at Eli, "I have to be in here a couple of days."

"I know I'm taking her to my parents in Ottawa they'll keep her for a few days so when you come home you can just rest," Eli says smoothing my hair and kissing my forehead.

"Thanks," I smile at my husband and look at my daughter, "You have fun with Grandma and Grandpa."

"Kay Mommy," she grins.

"Vada why don't we go downstairs and get Mommy some pretty flowers," Eli suggests and Vada nods. He kisses me and they leave the room, they are gone long enough for the nurse to take my tray and check my vitals.

"Fwowers Mommy," Vada says proudly holding a single lily from the bouquet that Eli's holding.

"Thank you Vada they're beautiful," I smile and she kisses me.

"Nurse could you take our daughter for a few minutes," Eli requests.

"Sure, come on Dear why don't we go get you a snack," nurse Quinn says taking Vada from Eli.

Eli watches them leave and then closes the door, he comes back to the bed and takes my hand, "I'm really sorry Clare. It will never happen again, I swear to you Clare, I lost my temper because I was stressed but it won't happen again."

"You say that every time Eli, this was the worst time. You really hurt me Eli; this isn't just a bump on the head or a couple of bruises. I know you're stressed about the movie but this can't go on," I tell him.

"I know, I know it won't I promise you Clare it won't. I won't bring the stress home, please Clare I swear to you I won't. I'll go to the gym before coming home, I'll do anything please Clare I love you so much," he pleads.

"I know Eli, I love you too but you could have killed me yesterday," I remind him.

"I didn't mean to Clare, I didn't mean any of it I was just so angry and I couldn't stop myself. You know how I get when I'm in one of my moods."

"You have to take your meds regularly; you can't miss a dose I can't be around you when your moods are wild like that. For the safety of our son I just can't and neither can Vada, she gets terrified when you're like that Eli," I tell him firmly.

"I know and I am so sorry I will take my meds every day I won't miss a single dose. Clare I swear that I it will never happen again, I love you so much Clare, you and our children are my life," he says kissing my lips and then pulling the covers down to kiss my belly.

"I love you too Eli, you should probably go get Vada from the nurse she does have a job to do," I point out.

Eli smirks kissing me again, he tells me he loves me one more time and then he leaves the room promising to come back tomorrow.

**(PAIGE)**

"Mrs. Hogart Clare's husband is here with their daughter," Quinn tells me calling my office phone just as I've gotten back to it after visiting Clare.

"Thanks Quinn I'll be right down," I tell her and hang up the phone.

Taking the elevator down to the third floor I walk to Clare's room, I hear a very you child and Eli. I stay at the nurse's station while they're talking and catch some of what they say. When Eli and his daughter go out to get some flowers I go to the doorway of her room but she's curled on her side and I decide to give her a few minutes. Before Eli comes back Quinn goes in to check Clare and the baby's vitals. Eli and his daughter come back with flowers and then a moment later Quinn comes out with their daughter.

"Hello what's your name?" I ask the little girl. She's absolutely gorgeous; she has ebony black hair like Eli but with Clare's blue eyes.

"Vada," she says proudly, she certainly isn't shy.

"Nice to meet you Vada my name's Paige," I smile at the young girl, she doesn't look like she's quite two yet.

"I'll take her to the vending machine for a snack," Quinn tells me and Vada waves to me as they walk off.

I walk closer to Clare's room and eavesdrop but I do so for a good reason. With the door closed I'm not able to hear everything, I am able to hear enough to know for sure that Eli beat her. He beat her and it's not the first time just as I thought. He's begging for forgiveness and swearing that it will never happen again, Clare tells him he needs to stay on his meds and he promises that he will. They talk a few more minutes, more promising that he will never hurt her again and saying he's sorry and she telling him he can't. When Quinn and Vada return I go back to the nurses desk and Eli comes out a moment later. He thanks Quinn and takes Vada she waves to us as she leaves for the elevator. Now that they're gone I go into Clare's room.

"Hi Clare how are you feeling?" I ask walking into the room.

"I feel alright, mostly tired," she says.

"I saw that your husband was here and met your daughter, she's beautiful and very friendly," I comment sitting in the chair next to Clare's bed.

"Thank you, she's always got a smile on I don't know who she gets that from," Clare tells me.

"Clare I heard you and Eli talking are you still going to tell me that you mugged by high teenagers looking for drug money?"

"He didn't mean to, he loves me and I won't press charges. He's bipolar; when he's stressed he sometimes forgets his meds and then his moods are unpredictable. He promised to take his meds again, he loves me and our children, he would never intentionally hurt me," Clare tries to convince me and herself.

"But he did intentionally hurt you Clare, and how many times has he promised to go on his meds again? How many times has he sworn it won't happen again?" I try and reason with her. Clare turns on her side and looks away from me, she holds her pregnant belly and I see tears begin to fall from her eyes.

"Paige I know you're only trying to help but stop, Eli promised and I have to believe him. He's my husband, the father of my children, he's not usually like that, it will get better, it has to. It just has to, he knows if it doesn't…it just has to," she says with finality.

I sigh; she won't listen to reason, not right now anyway, maybe after a couple days in here. I'll keep talking to her, trying to convince her that the best thing is for her to leave. I'm sure Jay will come too and help me convince her, I know we have to get Clare away from Eli but we won't be able to force her to leave she has to choose to.

"I hope you're right Clare, I really do, for your sake and that of your children."

I leave her room to let her rest and return to my office, I'm having trouble concentrating and I can't stop thinking of Clare. I'd leave and go home early but I have a meeting with the board of directors I have to attend. Which in fact is in a few moments, I gasp and quickly grab my files running to the conference room, composing myself before I enter. The meeting lasts three hours and while I manage to push Clare to the back of my mind but she never leaves it. After the meeting I tell my secretary I'm leaving early, I don't return home however I want to see Dylan and speak with him, he'll be at work now. I drive to the MasterCard Centre, I shouldn't be allowed in but the guards know I'm Dylan's sister and they always let me and Dylan's boyfriend in. After an injury ended Dylan's pro career he was offered a job as an offensive coach. He's the assistant coach now for the entire team and two years ago he began dating the younger brother of one of his players.

"Hey little sis," Dylan says hugging me tightly before yelling at his team, "Six you can get more speed than that, forty four keep that stick on the ice. Not that I don't love when you drop by my work but there's usually a reason so what's up?"

"I have a woman who's seven months pregnant and the victim of domestic abuse. The couple has a young daughter; she's just a toddler, not even two. This woman listened to her husband's apology, she won't leave him and I just hope I can convince her before he hurts her worse the next time or he hurts their daughter," I tell him and then get hugged from behind.

"Hi Fabulous," Dylan's boyfriend greets me releasing me from the hug.

"Hi Tris," I smile as he goes over and greets Dylan with a kiss.

"GUYS TAKE TEN AND GET HYDRATED!" Dylan yells at the players and they start skating over. Hank, the head coach, says he's going to grab some coffee and Dylan sits down with Tris while I lean against the wall. "It's heartbreaking sis but you get domestic abuse cases in the hospital all the time so why's this one got you so agitated?" Dylan inquires.

"Because I know her," I tell him as a few of the players skate into the bench, "she's Darcy Edwards little sister."

"What about Clare?" Owen questions. Owen joined the leafs two years ago as a defenseman and shortly after that Dylan and Tris, Owen's younger brother, began dating.

"She's in the hospital because her husband beat her, and she's seven months pregnant with their second child but she won't leave him," I inform him. I probably should have guessed that Owen would know Clare since they attended DeGrassi together at the same time.

"Eli did what? No way Adam would have said something," Dallas exclaims. Mike Dallas is the starring center, he's been on the team three years now and he was on the Ice Hounds with Owen and at DeGrassi as the same time as Clare. "If Eli was hurting Clare then Adam would have called me to go check on her and hurt him, right?" Dallas says to Owen and Owen only shrugs.

"Who's Adam?" I question.

"Clare's best friend and Eli's too," Tris answers.

"Adam probably doesn't know, this isn't the first time he's hit her and she makes excuses for it," I tell them.

"Why would she do that?" Owen asks with a tight jaw.

"Because all battered women do, even the smart ones," I sigh.

"Eli was pretty crazy in high school," Tris comments.

"Yeah before he went on meds he crashed his car to try and keep Clare and some other crazy stuff. He ran through the school naked when he was on MDMA but he was pretty calm after that, once he was on his meds," Owen says.

"How badly was she hurt?" Dallas asks.

"Is her baby okay?" Owen queries.

"The doctor said he baby was okay but they're keeping her for a couple days to be sure. She's got some bruising on her face and the rest of her body; she had a few scratches, two fractured ribs and one broken rib. She also had a tear in her liver, something you can only get after a very traumatic impact or fall. She was bleeding internally but the doctor's stopped it. I talked to her this morning, I heard Eli apologizing and telling her it would never happen again. I tried to get her to listen but she just made more excuses and said Eli would change. I hope she's right but I know she's not I see it all the time," I tell them.

"I'll call Adam after practice," Dallas says.

"I'm going to see Clare after practice," Owen speaks up.

"Right now you two need to get back on the ice," Dylan comments as Hank comes back. Dylan blows his whistle and he and Hank start yelling at the players to do drills.

"I love when he's all take charge and forceful like that," Tris grins gazing adoringly at my brother and I laugh.

"I'm going home; I think I'll see if Alex wants to come over again tonight I'm sure Jay won't mind. Tell Owen I'll call the hospital and make sure you four can get into Clare's room any time," I tell Tris.

I hug Dylan goodbye and go out to the car, I'll ask Alex to talk to Clare too, her mother was in an abusive relationship so Alex knows firsthand what it can do. I get in the car and call Alex as I start driving home. I really hope Owen can help Clare and that she'll listen to him, or any of us, because I know it will end badly if she stays with Eli, we just need to convince her of that which won't be easy.

**As I said this will be a two shot, unfortunately you have to wait a while for part two. It will be on Friday December 5****th**** picking up with Owen visiting Clare in the hospital.**


	2. Dark Returning

**Sorry for the long wait but here's the last chapter finally.**

**Ch.2 Dark Returning**

**(OWEN)**

"Tell Clare hi," Dallas says as we leave the locker room.

"Yeah I will, I'll call you after I see her," I tell Dallas and get in my car.

I haven't seen Clare since high school really, I've seen her around town a few times in the last few years. Passing each other in the store or on the street, we'd smile and wave, maybe say high but that was about it. Clare was never really into sports and I knew she'd married Eli and they had a kid, second hand info collected from Dallas and Drew but I did see Clare with her daughter once. We'd hardly spoken in high school, didn't have the same friends or travel in the same circles. Our social circles mixed with Adam being her best friend and Drew and Dallas being two of mine but we didn't mix, not in high school. We're not in high school anymore however and while I've hardly thought of Clare over the years when Paige told us Clare was in the hospital because Eli put her there, and he's been abusing her I was angry. More than just angry, outraged really, outraged that he would do that to her, that he could do that to Clare. I'm angry that Eli seems to only have gotten worse since high school and Clare's still with him.

Beyond all the anger I actually care, maybe I've had feelings for Clare for a long time and just never realized it. Maybe I just never let myself feel them after what happened with Fitz and her epic romance with Eli and how cursed her high school relationships seemed to be. Or maybe they are brand new, maybe they occurred at the same time as my anger and outrage, maybe wanting to rip out Eli's heart and save Clare's all happened within me at the same moment. However long I've had these feelings whenever they occurred I have them now and I want to see Clare. I want to talk to her, find out why she's still with Eli, give her the strength to get away. I want to know what happened to that bullheaded girl with the plan from high school.

I park at the hospital and go in, Paige already told me what room Clare is in and how to get there. She also said if anyone gave me trouble for being here to tell them I was her guest. Clare is sitting up in bed, her face is bruised and I can see the swell of her pregnant belly under her robe. She's reading a book but when she notices me in the doorway she looks over.

"Owen what are you doing here?" She questions putting down her book. Her tone sounded only slightly surprised but happy more than anything else, or maybe I just heard it that way because I want to.

"Paige came to the arena to talk to Dylan about you and we overheard," I explain going into the room and sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Who's Dylan? And who overheard what?" Clare questions.

"Paige's older brother and one of my coaches, who is also dating my brother," I enlighten Clare, "and Dallas and I overheard. Now why are you still with Eli if this isn't the first time?"

"I've barely seen you since high school and we weren't even friends then I hardly see how it's any of your business," she snaps at me.

"He's hurting you Clare, you're very pregnant and he's hurting you, it's not the first time and it won't be the last. You shouldn't be with him Clare," I plead with her.

"And I suppose you're going to tell me that I should be with you?!"

"Well now that you've brought it up," I comment scratching the back of my head sheepishly.

"This isn't a romantic comedy Owen, this isn't the movies there are no Hollywood endings. Eli is my husband, father of my children and we're in love," she says the last part with trepidation in her voice, they were in love once but it's faded. "He's been under a lot of stress and he knows it can't happen again," she tells me as he voice goes firm again.

"I'm sure he does but that doesn't mean it won't happen again Clare! You must know that and what about your children? Your daughter must know Eli hurts you she's going to grow up thinking it's okay and this child could die," I assert putting my hand on her belly and she starts to cry.

"I can help you, Paige wants to help and Dallas, I know Adam will, Tris and Dylan too but you have to decide to leave him," I urge her.

All she does is shake her head, she continues crying and I'm not sure what to do for her. Instinct says to hold her but I'm not sure that I can, when a nurse comes in to take her vitals and check her surgical incision I make a quiet exit. Going down to the gift shop I pick out a nice bouquet, on the card I write for her to call me any time and put my number. I also put Dallas, Dylan and Tris just so she can call any of us in an emergency. I have the flowers sent up to her room and then I leave but I don't want to go home to my empty house so I decide I'll go to Tris and Dylan's place. Actually it's Dylan's house but Tris moved in a few months ago. It was pretty weird when my little brother started dating not only someone older than me but also one of my coaches. Tris has never been happier however, Paige told me Dylan's only been this happy when he was with Marco. Tris and Dylan are cute together and if Tris is happy then I'm happy for him. Just as I park I get a call from Dallas so I answer.

"What did Adam say?" I inquire.

"He didn't know Eli was hitting her but said Eli's been fairly erratic lately, he hasn't talked to either in a few weeks though. Last time he talked to Clare she mostly talked about the pregnancy," Dallas tells me.

"We have to get her away from him, she was making excuses but she started sobbing, she knows she needs to leave him but she's afraid. I'm at my brother's place I'm going to hang out here for a while didn't feel like going home," I comment as I walk to the door and knock. Tris opens the door and lets me in.

"Cool maybe I'll come hang too if it's cool with them," Dallas comments.

"You guys cool if Dallas comes to hang out?" I ask Tris and Dylan and they both nod and shrug. "Yeah come on over," I tell Dallas and hang up.

"How's Clare?" Tris asks.

"Not good, she's really banged up and just like Paige said. She won't leave Eli and I think I have feelings for her," I inform them and both their mouths drop open.

"Since when?!" Tris demands.

"I have no idea," I reply.

**(CLARE)**

"The house is all cleaned up, I found a great coffee table at a yard sale it was cheap and it's sturdy," Eli tells me as we start driving home. He's talking about a new coffee table because when he punched me and I fell and broke the last one in the beating that brought me here. I'm pretty sure falling on the table is what broke my ribs.

I spent four days in the hospital all together but I was just discharged and Eli came to take me home. Paige was there with me every day, coming into my room every chance she could. She kept trying to talk to me about leaving Eli and I always rebuffed her, she'd drop it and then we'd chat or play cards. Owen, Dallas, Tris, Dylan and Paige's husband Jay and their lover Alex all came to see me at the hospital at different times. Owen came the most but he usually wouldn't talk about Eli, he'd mostly just sit and talk with me or read to me. Adam has called every day, the first call was the hardest when he asked if Eli was hitting me and I just couldn't answer. Adam told me he'd fly out as soon as he could and would stay for a few weeks. He also made me swear to call Dallas if I needed.

"Good, how long are your parents keeping Vada?" I question.

"They'll keep her another couple of days but she misses you. I have to go into work but you just rest today, Mom said to call if you need anything and I have the bedroom all set up for you. Mom sent over a bunch of food you just have to heat it up," Eli replies and I nod. When we get home I change into pajamas and Eli helps me into bed. "I'm so sorry Clare, it'll never happen again I swear, I've been taking my meds every day and I promise you it will never happen again. I love you and Vada and Julian more than anything in this life," Eli swears taking my hand kissing it before kissing my lips.

"I know Eli I love you too, you should go to work I'm just going to take a nap," I insist to my husband.

"If anything happens call me, Mom's on speed dial if you need anything," Eli says kissing me again before leaving.

I really am tired and fall asleep shortly after he leaves, I wake up when I'm hungry, getting up slowly and pulling myself out of bed using the headboard. I go to the kitchen and see the many containers of food Cece brought over; I look them over and decide on salad with chicken. I get out a plate and begin to sit down when there's a knock on my door. I push myself up again and call that I'm coming; I waddle slowly to the door and open it thinking it might be Cece but instead I find Owen.

"You have a nasty habit of surprising me lately," I comment opening the door a little wider so he can come in.

"I heard you were let out today I wanted to come see you, see how you were," Owen says coming in and shutting the door.

"I'm healing, the bruises are starting to fade," I respond but don't know what else to say.

"And Eli?" Owen inquires.

"He's working and you really shouldn't be here," I respond.

"I came to check on you and I was in the hospital all the time when Eli wasn't there. Actually I'm pretty sure that I was there more than your husband was," Owen comments.

"You were there a lot but Paige was there more and there were other people in the hospital, nurses and doctors were coming in and out all the time," I argue. I'm pacing the living room because standing still makes my back ache.

"Paige works at the hospital and you make it sound like there was something between us we were trying to hide," Owen shoots back.

"No I'm just saying nothing could have happened between us in the hospital because it wasn't private, but now we're alone while my husbands at work."

"So then there is something between us," Owen says.

"No that's not what I meant Owen, you've been really great and in the last few days we've become friends. I appreciate all the time you spent with me in the hospital, you're concern and our friendship but I don't think it's appropriate for you to be alone in my house while my husband is out," I reply.

"I'm here as a concerned friend only, it wouldn't be appropriate if I came here to seduce you but I'm not," Owen says in a firm tone.

"Sorry, I was about to eat are you hungry?"

"No I'm okay but you should eat," Owen responds and I walk back to the kitchen with Owen following me. He helps me into my seat and sits in the other chair where Eli usually sits.

Owen stays while I eat and cleans up when I'm done; he even helps me back to bed. He stays for another hour before leaving for practice but reminds me to call him if I need him. Eli doesn't get home until very late that night and he's gone by the time I wake up the next morning. I take a hot shower, have some breakfast and then Paige comes by, she brought me tea and fruit tart. She stays for a while but when Eli calls she excuses herself and says she'll call me later. I don't stay on the phone with Eli long but then Cece calls and tells me Vada wants to come home. I tell her that's fine and as soon as I hang up I go into the washroom to put makeup over the bruises.

Yeah I know I'm covering up what Eli did, I'm not telling his parents and I'm not getting help. I don't have a good reason or straight forward answer because as much as it seems like it should be it's not a straight forward problem. Eli loves me, he loves Vada and Julian but when he's not on his meds and especially when he's stressed out he's a completely different person. He's hit me before, at first it was just once and he was so sorry afterward and was so good to me after that. For days he did nothing but spoil me and it was months before it happened again. It's not even that he does it when drunk or even every time he's angry, it's like a perfect storm of things but that perfect storm has been happening a lot lately. His new movie is not going the way he wants, he's frustrated and always stressed, he stops taking his meds and his meds, and then the littlest things will set him off. He just explodes and gets out of control becoming violent. I can't just leave him and I can't stay so I'm trapped.

I just finish getting my makeup on when the door opens and I hear Vada calling for me.

"Hi Sweetie did you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa?" I ask taking her from Cece.

"Yeah," Vada smiles before kissing me and I try not to wince when she touches the bruise.

"It's just awful, your pregnancy has been so hard and then getting mugged. She wanted her mom but you just call me if you need us to take her again. Do you still have plenty of food?" Cece asks.

Vada goes to play in her room and I talk to Cece for a while, she always has some home remedy or tea or something she wants me to try. Cece finally leaves and I go to lie down in bed, Vada spends the afternoon coming in with toys and books she wants me to play with or read to her. When there's a knock on the door late in the evening I think it's Eli and he forgot his keys, or went off his meds and can't find them. When I open the door however it's Owen.

"It's a little late to be dropping by," I scold him.

"Eli's working late," Owen responds coming in.

"How do you know?" I inquire.

"I have my ways," is his response.

"MOMMY STORY!" Vada screams from my room.

"Sorry that would be Vada would like to meet her?"

"Yeah," he smiles. We walk back to the bedroom and Vada looks up at me and then at Owen.

"Vada this is Mommy's friend Owen," I tell her. She waves shyly and runs over to me hugging me tightly and hiding her head.

"Hi Vada it's nice to meet you, I've seen you before with your Mom. It looks like you tried moving your whole room into Mommy and Daddy's room," Owen comments and I laugh as I sit on the bed.

"I haven't moved off the bed much so she's been bringing everything in here," I tell him.

"Hey Vada what do you say we pick up all your toys and books, and then I'll put you to bed so Mommy can rest," Owen says.

"Mommy put to bed," Vada shakes her head.

"No Mommy needs to rest besides if you let me put you to bed you can fly," Owen tells her and she looks at him now.

"Fwy?"

"Yeah fly I'll show you but first we have to get all your toys and books back in your room," Owen tells her.

Vada lets go of me and picks up a book from the bed. She works her way off my bed to the floor and then runs to her room.

"You're a natural," I smile at Owen.

"You should lay down I'll get her in bed," Owen tells me and starts picking up Vada's toys and books.

I lie down while they pick up and then Vada says good night, Owen picks her up holding her with one hand under her belly and one at her feet. Vada instinctually puts her arms straight out and Owen runs through the house with her. I can hear her giggling and screaming with delight, telling him to do it again every time he stops. It's like a wonderful music and I drift to sleep listening to it.

It's been two weeks since I was released from the hospital, the bruises have faded, and my broken ribs are healing. The stitches will dissolve soon and I have a follow up appointment in a week. Eli has been good but he's also barely home, Cece and Bullfrog help out a lot, taking Vada during the day and doing a lot of cooking and house cleaning. Paige is over a lot; Tris and Dylan have come over a couple of times, Jay and Alex too. Vada and I even went to dinner at Paige and Jay's house a few nights ago. Adam is flying out in a few days, I was excited to see him and then there's Owen. He's been over every single day and only when Eli out, I haven't even told Eli that Owen and I are friends. I haven't because I worry how he'll react. Owen and I haven't done anything, we barely even hug, it's not as though we're having an affair, not a sexual one anyway. There's something there and even though we're not having a sexual affair we're having an emotional one. I'm always happy to see him, I feel open and free with him and most importantly I don't feel afraid.

Tonight Vada is sleeping at Eli's parent's house; he actually came home at a semi-decent hour and made dinner. A rather nice dinner that we were enjoying until Eli got a phone call, he's been arguing with his editor and production team for over an hour. I finished my dinner and his has gotten cold. Now I'm lying on the sofa watching TV and rubbing my belly as Julian is kicking and rolling around without end.

"DAMN IT!" Eli hollers as I hear something hit the wall in the kitchen.

"Eli what was that?" I question trying to get off the sofa.

"We're going over budget again! I have to come up with another five grand, everything on this fucking movie has gone wrong," he growls throwing a dish this time. He keeps yelling about incompetent staff and other things and I start walking to the bedroom. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Eli yells and I stop.

"Eli stop I'm going to bed, I'm tired and I don't want to listen to you yell," I tell him as I keep walking to the bedroom.

"YOU'RE JUST GOING TO WALK AWAY WHEN I NEED YOU?!"

He grabs me pulling me back and then backhanding me so hard I fall back, twisting slightly and hitting the kitchen counter. I cough and gasp, feel a pain shoot through me and Eli is yelling again. Eli is yelling still and he kicks my side so hard I can't breathe. Eli turns around and keeps ranting, it's like he doesn't even see me, I'm not his wife anymore just a punching bag and I need to get out of here. I pull myself up and move as fast as I can to the bedroom, locking the door and getting my cell phone. I can't think well enough to call 911 but I do call Paige.

"Clare are you okay?"

"No he hit me again, I can't be here tonight I'm worried about my son, I'm worried about me," I tell her through my tears and Eli pounding on the door.

"Okay we're coming to get you where's Vada?" Paige questions.

"At her grandparents for the night please hurry."

"We're coming, Alex is calling Dylan he lives closer stay on the phone," Paige says.

After a few minutes Eli stops yelling and I realize someone is pounding on the front door. A moment after that I hear Dylan's angry voice and Tris calling for me, I get up and open the bedroom door, Tris hugs me and looks at my face.

"That bastard," Tris growls as I hear Dylan yelling at Eli.

Tris takes me out to the living room and I see Dylan has Eli in some wrestling hold or something. Eli is yelling for Dylan to let him go and Dylan is telling Eli he's an abusive prick. At the moment I don't completely disagree. Jay, Paige and Alex come in now, they at look at me and then look at Eli.

"Tris go with Paige and Alex, take Clare to our place, Dylan and I will pack her and Vada's things," Jay instructs.

"YOU ARE NOT TAKING MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER AWAY FROM ME!" Eli growls.

"They're coming to stay with us because you can't stop hitting her and she deserves better," Paige says taking my arm and pulling me out of the house.

"I can't, I can't do it anymore. I knew he would hit me again, I knew I was putting myself and my children in danger and I stayed and I can't even explain why," I sob as I get in the back of the car with Paige.

"It doesn't matter now you're out and you're never going back," Alex tells me and I nod but I can't stop shaking.

**(OWEN)**

My phone rings as I'm sitting down to a late dinner, my brother's face flashes on my cell and I hit accept.

"Eli hit her again we're taking Clare to Paige and Jay's. Dylan and Jay are still there packing Clare and Vada's things," Tris informs me and I tense up going rigid with anger.

"I'm on my way," I reply.

"To Paige and Jay's or to Clare's to kill Eli?"

"As much as I feel like killing Eli I'm on my way to you to, I want to see Clare," I respond and hang up. Grabbing my wallet and keys I leave and drive straight to Paige and Jay's. I ring the bell and Tris opens the door, he lets me in and takes me back to Clare who is lying in Jay and Paige's bed. "What happened?" I ask sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her, she's holding ice to one side of her face.

"It doesn't matter I'm not going back, I can't. He'll kill me, he doesn't even see me anymore when he's like that, I think he would have killed me if I hadn't gotten away," she says.

"Good, how badly are you hurt and where's Vada?" I inquire.

"She's with his parents, I think it's just the bruise on my face but my ribs hurt where he kicked me," she tells me trying to move and wincing when she does.

"We should take you to the hospital," I insist.

"I just got here, I need to rest," she replies.

"Let us see anywhere else you hurt," Alex says and Clare tries to move again.

She lies down a little more and Paige pulls up her dress. I see developing bruises on both sides of her abdomen. When she sees the looks on all our faces she agrees to the hospital now. I help her up and we all go in my SUV, Paige calls Jay on the way to tell them to meet us at the hospital. I tell Tris to call Adam and let him know what's going on. Paige then calls ahead to the hospital and they have a wheelchair waiting for her when I pull up.

"Owen please go get Vada from Eli's parents, I know she's safe there but I don't want Eli to get her," Clare pleads with me before getting out of the car.

"I'll get her, I promise and I'll be right back with her," I assure Clare.

Paige, Alex and Tris help Clare to the wheelchair, I start driving toward Eli's parent's house. I know where it is because I've picked up Vada a few times from there in the last couple of weeks.

"Hello Owen I didn't know you were picking Vada up no one called," Bullfrog says when he opens the door.

"Yeah well maybe because Clare's in the hospital after Eli beat her again," I tell them not hiding my spite for their son in my tone.

"What?" Bullfrog asks shocked.

"You heard me and I think you knew and didn't want to admit it but your son needs help," I reply and then call for Vada.

The toddler comes running when she hears me call, she's become very fond of me in the last couple of weeks and I have become attached to the girl as if she was my own. She jumps into my arms and I give Eli's parents one more look before taking Vada to my car. It does occur to me that I don't have a child seat in my car so I buckle her up and have her lay down in back driving very slowly to the hospital. I tell her that Mommy's in the hospital again and we're going to see her. When we get up to maternity everyone is in the waiting room, except Dylan and Jay who haven't arrived yet, but Dallas is here. Paige takes Vada and tells me Clare is being examined. Dallas tells me that Adam is flying out tonight; he changed his ticket as doing everything he can to get here.

"We got here as fast as we could, any word?" Jay questions walking in with Dylan.

"She's still being examined," Paige says while Jay sits next to her and kisses his wife's cheek.

"Vada looks tired, maybe someone should take her home for the night," I comment.

"Yeah we'll take her, keep us updated," Dylan says as he takes Vada from Paige.

We say goodbye and Vada waves sleepily; she grips onto Tris and falls asleep on his shoulder before they even finish saying goodbye. Shortly after they leave a doctor comes out and Paige greets him by name.

"Clare is resting; she has no internal bleeding or trauma this time but a lot of bruising and jarring. We'll be keeping her again, we're concerned about her baby, the fetal heart rate is weak and we may have to induce labor," the doctor tells us.

"Can I see her?" I request.

"Yes but she needs to rest," the doctor says.

I go back to Clare's room, it's fairly dark and at first I think she's sleeping but when I enter she turns her head. I sit down and take her hand, she grips me tightly and by the lights of her heart monitor I see tears creeping down her cheeks.

"Vada's safe, she's sleeping at Tristan and Dylan's," I assure Clare.

"Stay with me please," Clare begs.

I brush her hair from her face and kiss her lips tenderly, "I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
